The preaching places of Jesus
It is interesting to think about the preaching spaces of Jesus. The Sermon on the mount was done on a hill in Galilee - His most important teaching was done in an open space, most of His other"sermons" and teachings recorded was either outdoors or in intimate close quarters. Defending the women caught in adultery, he was writing on sand. In Peter's boat, again "preaching" to the shoreline of people gathered. Outdoors where he broke bread, for the multitude, he was preaching in an open field of people who came to hear his voice, they were then seated in groups of 10. I think of the long dialogue he had in the upper room with his disciples before he died.
When he was indoors, it was in intimate private locations. In the home where he healed the paralytic, he was also "preaching" there. He definitely was was a street preacher/teacher, something John Wesley was known for in his day. (My favourite story of Wesley has of him preaching, being harshly and physically threatened and swimming a across a cold winter lake before preaching again with fire, to people on the other side.) I see Jesus having that passion, being treated badly in Nazareth, he goes back there to preach in whatever Nazarene home or space he can find. Thing is, he was regularly thrown out of synagogues.
Preaching or dialoging?
Another significant spot where he "preached" I used the inverted commas because most of His "sermons" were more like dialogue in a film, in which he responded to life and situations which cropped up. The long stretch of red dialogue in John 15,16 and 17 where he gives his death speech is peppered with the questions of the disciples. "what do you mean by such and such? we don't understand!?"
Also when explaining the mystery of the kingdom the parable of the sower, that passage is peppered with his disciples asking "what is the meaning of this?" behind closed doors. I love the sense of small group intimacy. I imagine that they with hushed and eager enthusiasm leaned forward to hear the explanations from their master, the truths of the kingdom. Jesus responded to their questions and their hearts, "because you are hungry to know, you will have more."
Re-looking at "preaching" and "discipleship"
I think we have to seriously rethink "preaching" as we know it. We have to rebook at "discipleship" because it appears that everyday life and in everyday locations, was the ground which Jesus used to "disciple people" not within the walls of a mass organization as we know it. Prayer was another thing frequently done outdoors with Jesus.
"Preaching" to Jesus I think was a thing interwoven in the ordinary. It was just Jesus having an informal to-and-fro with everyday people about the truths of His Father. There were questions, there was response from the Master. There was participation of the disciples as they asked questions. It seems that the process was dynamic, it flowed and changed according to their hearts. "You cannot bear this now, So I won't share it with you".
It was done when opportunity presented itself, Jesus would preach according to the need of the circumstance. When the woman was caught in adultery, he took the opportunity to rebuke and teach the most beautiful scripture ever. "He who is without sin, throw the first stone" and "I do not condemn you, go and sin no more" was not a "sermon" made in the four walls of "church" one was a harsh rebuke to his fiercest enemies who came to test and challenge Him the other was comfort spoken, face to face with the life of one he saved.
Nicodemus wanting to hear him didn't even get a chance to ask his a question. "Rabi, no one can do these things unless he comes from God." Jesus gave him john 3:16 which we now preach in "churches". It was orginally spoken in a house to someone at night because that person was afraid of his "church". Ironic.
I suspect making disciples and "preaching" should be the same. Spontaneous, opportunistic, intimate, in small groups, participatory, informal, peppered with questions, occasionally having food. (the last supper was their dinner).
Re-looking at worship
Where is the "worship service" in the new testament? the lights, stages, music, "worship leader", projector screen and lyrics? Where was "worship"? It was when people encountered the master and leaving with reverence in their hearts and made a change in their life. Doing what He said. That was worship.
Preaching, discipleship, worship, I suspect should look more "de-churched" and more ordinary, more like the everyday life we live 6 days a week.
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